The invention relates to a spirally wound overwrapped tampon.
Tampons may be formed by providing a length of absorbent material, e.g. a nonwoven web, spirally winding the material upon itself, and compressing the wound material radially. These spirally wound tampons are often provided with an overwrap, i.e. an outer covering of a liquid permeable material, typically a thermoplastic film, to improve the lubricity of the tampon, reducing insertion and withdrawal forces, and to prevent fibers of the nonwoven from being detached ("fiber fluff-off") during insertion and withdrawal.
An overwrapped, spirally wound tampon is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 4,816,100. This tampon has a liquid-permeable, thermoplastic strip section bonded by heat-sealing to the outside of the nonwoven web section over a length which approximately corresponds to the length of the circumference of the wound tampon. The outer end of the strip section, which projects beyond the end of the nonwoven web section, is welded to the outside of part of the strip section sealed to the nonwoven web section. Both the insertion and withdrawal end of the tampon remain free of the overwrap material. The patent indicates that it is necessary to bond the overwrap to the surface of the tampon in order to guarantee that the high absorbency of the nonwoven material, based on capillary action, continues through the overwrap material.
One problem which may occur with overwrapped tampons is peeling back of the overwrap from the surface of the absorbent material when the tampon is removed after use ("peel back"). This may cause discomfort and disturb the user, and may even result in part or all of the overwrap tearing off.